Academia Columbus

San José - Costa Rica

Playa del Carmen - Mexico
Quito - Ecuador

¡Bienvenidos!
Welcome to Academia Columbus and thank you for
your interest in our immersion programs! Since 2000
we have offered quality Spanish language courses at
our schools in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Mexico. Our
programs will provide you with the ability to improve
your Spanish skills, get to know new cultures, travel
through interesting countries and make new friends
abroad. Our staff will do its best to provide you with a
once in a lifetime experience.
New Spanish courses begin every Monday of the year
in all schools for all levels, including absolute beginners.
You will improve your skills rapidly due to our mini
group instruction with an average of three, maximum
of five students per group. Our modern schools are all
centrally located and offer a great learning atmosphere
in well-lit classrooms.
All of our schools are members of the “International
Association of Language Centers” (IALC) and meet
international teaching standards. The high quality of our
schools is continuously verified through independent
inspection.
Beside our language courses, we also offer internships
and volunteering opportunities in all three countries.
Explore new cultures, gain work experience abroad and
add a real highlight to your resume with an internship in
a foreign country.
San José, Quito and Playa del Carmen all offer a
perfect setting for a language course in some of the
most naturally diverse countries in the world. Tropical
Rainforests, hundreds of national parks, stunning
beaches and coral reefs, active volcanoes, Mayan
ruins and the Galápagos Islands are famous all over
the world and will make your stay in Latin America an
unforgettable experience!

What are you waiting for? Get ready for an exciting

trip to Latin America and explore “La Pura Vida”!

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 Service
Integrated Teaching Concept
Counseling and Support
It is important for us to provide students with full
guidance and support. Our staff are always happy
to answer any questions. We can also help you find
a cheap flight, if necessary, or assist you in your visa
application.
Travel Arrangements
We will send you comprehensive travel documents,
including important information and advice regarding
your language holiday and course location, together
with your booking confirmation. This will allow you
to plan your journey ahead in the best possible way,
i.e. make any necessary arrangements to meet
immigration requirements and arrange for money and
travel insurance. We will send you the address, including
a map detailing the location of your host family or
shared apartment, and the location of the language
school, as well as all further information regarding your
accommodation approximately three weeks prior to
You will be picked up from the airport in Costa Rica and
Ecuador free of charge. Your host family or one of our
staff members will meet you at the airport holding an
Academia Columbus sign with your name on it. You
will be taken straight to your accommodation from the
airport. If you are going to Mexico, you can book this
service at an additional charge. You will also receive a
welcome pack containing further information about
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All teachers follow a common teaching method, and the
same course materials (from the Instituto Cervantes,
among others) are used at all schools.
Qualified Teachers
All our teachers are native speakers and possess a
degree as well as several years of experience in teaching
Spanish as a foreign language.
First Day of School
On your first day at school, you will walk the short
distance to the school together with your host family
or other students. Lessons will start following an
introduction by our school team. Students will be
introduced to other course participants, the school’s
administration and teaching staff. You will also be taken
on a quick tour of the school building to help you get
your bearings.
City Tour
In the afternoon of your first day at the school you will
be taken on a city tour together with all the other new
students. The purpose of this city tour is to familiarise
you with everyday life in a new country.You will be shown
how to sort out some basic things that will be useful in
your everyday life, such as catching a bus, withdrawing
money, shopping and visiting Internet cafés. We will
of course also take this opportunity to show you some
of the best sights in town, and show you where to find
good restaurants, bars and ice cream parlours.

Our schools are privately managed institutions that

Personal Counseling provide personal attention and counseling to each of
our students, to help you make the most of your learning
experience.

Students of equivalent Spanish proficiency levels are

Small Class Size divided into mini groups with an average of 3 and a
maximum of 5 students for all classes.

Possibility of Combining How about a four-week Spanish language tour in Costa

Rica followed by four weeks in Ecuador or Mexico? Not a
Course Locations problem - we offer our customers maximum flexibility.
 Schools
Our Schools
Our school in Costa Rica lies in the heart of charming
Santo Domingo de Heredia, just a few minutes
by bus from the lively capital city of San José. The
bright, spacious school building offers an excellent
environment to learn Spanish, and all accommodations
are within walking distance of the school.

Quito, Ecuador’s capital and second-largest city, offers

a fantastic, springlike climate all year round, as well as
impressive panoramic views of the snow-capped Andes
mountain range. Our school building is located in the
modern part of one of the continent’s safest and most
dynamic metropolises.

Playa del Carmen offers a great opportunity to

combine a Spanish course with a relaxing holiday in the
Caribbean. This enchanting Mexican town possesses a
great tourism infrastructure without being overcrowded.
Learn Spanish at our school right in the heart of Playa,
just a short distance away from the beach and the
bustling Quinta Avenida!
Our Courses
We offer year round language courses in both private
and mini group classes, and in regular and intensive
courses. Every Monday of the year new courses begin
for all levels. Tailormade learning allows you to learn at
your pace and improve your Spanish skills rapidly. All
students take a written test prior to the course which
will help us to set your level of Spanish.

You may select different course types during the

separate weeks. You can for example start with a 4
msn: erickandregarcia@hotmail.com weeks group course with 20 lessons and then continue
with a 2 week private course. Students may also extend
their stay after arrival. We offer courses for all levels
from absolute beginners to superior.

During private lessons, you can also select special topics

such as business, medicine, tourism among others.

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 Activities
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Cultural Activities
Our activities take place at least two to three times a
week, and form an important part of our philosophy:
learn and ‘live’ the Spanish language!

Our activities program will provide you with an excellent

insight into the diversity of Latin American culture. With
the exception of the excursions, our activities program
are fully included in the course price. The following are
some of the activities which are offered on a regular
basis:
City Tour
On your first day of school, you can take part in our
city tour to start exploring the country in which you are
studying. We will show you and the other new students
all the important things that you need to know for your
daily life: how to withdraw money, how to get around by
public transport, how to shop affordably, where to find
Internet cafés, and much more. After this introduction,
you will feel at home in no time!
Dancing Lessons
Discover the Latin American rhythms like Salsa and
Merengue with a dance instructor. Feel the Latin
American energy and shake your hips! During a short
break, you will learn how to prepare a typical cocktail
together with the teacher.
Cooking Lessons
Have you ever tried “Ceviche” or “Guacamole”? You will
prepare and enjoy the culinary specialties of the country
together with your teachers and other students.
Lectures
During our lectures and discussions on historical and
current topics of Latin America you will learn more
about your destination and its history and culture.
Drama Class
Act in a drama on stage with teachers and students.
This helps you develop your Spanish skills and acting
talents by performing scenes from famous plays such
as Romeo and Juliet or Don Quijote.
Fiesta
Enjoy our traditional Latin American fiestas with local
foods, drinks and dances together with our teachers,
students, friends and families!

Movie Night
Like going to the movies? Come with us and enjoy a
movie in Spanish or with Spanish subtitles in a movie
theatre around town.
Excursions
In addition to our cultural program, all schools offer
exciting excursions to interesting destinations in each
country. Most excursions take place on weekends and
can be booked directly at school on a pay-as-you-go
basis.

Tulúm & Cobá – Mexico

The Mayan sites of Tulúm and Cobá are among the
biggest and most beautiful archeological sites around
the globe. Get a fascinating view of the pyramid „El
Castillo“ gleaming on the clear water of the Caribbean.
Cobá with its Mayan pyramid is about 120’ high and
surround by tropical rain forest. Climb up 117 steps to

Activities
the top of the pyramid and get a wonderful view of the
Yucatán peninsula.

Arenal Volcano – Costa Rica

This weekend excursion takes us to the active Arenal
Volcano. For more than 10 years, the Arenal Volcano
has been active every day. In the evening, we make a
trip to the volcano, where you can see glowing, red hot
lava and even eruptions from close proximity but a safe
distance away. This is a breathtaking natural spectacle
that will surely stay in your memory for the rest of your
life. Later, we round off the excursion with a visit to a
nearby hot spring. The next morning we journey to
Arenal Lagoon and a hanging garden in the rainforest.
The return trip to Heredia will be later that afternoon.
Mitad del Mundo &
Inca ruins - Ecuador
The Equator is located only 16 miles north of
Quito. The heart of the exhibition is a 100 feet
high monument with an ethnographic museum,
where you can learn many interesting facts about
the indigenous cultures of the area.

Especially fascinating are the many physical

experiments in the Museo Solar which only work
directly on the Equator! Immediately after the
visit to the Equator, you will visit the close-by
Inca ruins of Rumicucho. These ruins are one
of the few places in the country where one can
find and explore well-kept remains of the Incan
Empire.

You can find detailed information about the different

excursions on our website:
 Internship
No CV or resume can do without them in the professional
world anymore in this day and age! Internships are
proof of determination and practical experience. And,
especially when done abroad, they show flexibility,
open-mindedness and the courage to explore the
unfamiliar. We offer internships all year round in many
different areas throughout Ecuador, Costa Rica and
Mexico. Benefit from our co-operation with numerous
prestigious local and international companies and
organizations!
You can start you work experience placement any
week. You are free to decide on the length of your work
experience with the approval of your company, whereby
the minimum duration is usually 8 weeks, and in some
areas 12 weeks. Work experience in Latin America will
provide you with the unique opportunity to experience
the working life in a Latin American company, and get
to know different ways of thinking and working. This
will provide you with invaluable experience for your
future professional career.
Internship Requirements
Application
In order for us to successfully arrange an internship
for you, please send us a cover letter that details your
desired job, the preferred timeline, and your reasons for
wanting to take part in an internship. We will also need
your resume in Spanish, including a specification of your
Spanish language skills.
As soon as we have received your application documents,
we will then contact our cooperating partners abroad so
that we can submit to you a concrete proposal regarding
your desired internship as soon as possible.
Possible Internship
Opportunities in
different Areas
Social Sector
(e.g. working with street children or people with
disabilities,…)

Business
The requirements for a work experience placement (e.g. in marketing, accounting, sales,…)
are good knowledge of the Spanish language and an
internship duration of at least 8 weeks, in some areas Tourism
12 weeks. (e.g. in a hotel, with a tour operator or travel
agent,…)
In addition you are also required to at least do a two-
week language course (advanced level) or an four- Development
week course (basic knowledge) at our school. Absolute (e.g. in a national park, in the area of
beginners must do an eight-week course at our school. environmental protection, ...)
You can of course also do a longer course at our school.
Medicine
It is also advantageous to participate in a work (e.g. nursing or work placement in hospitals (only
experience over a longer period of time (ideally three available in Ecuador and Mexico),...)
to six months), have prior experience in the relevant
subject area, very good knowledge of the Spanish Law
language, and having started a degree. (e.g. in a law firm or a legal department, ...)

Computer Science
(e.g. as a programmer,...)

Architecture
(e.g. in an architect’s office, ...)

Internship O Engineering
verview (e.g. in road
development,...)
building, infrastructural

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Costa Rica
San José
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Costa Rica
Costa Rica - ’the rich coast’; this is what Christopher
Columbus used to call this area so rich in breathtaking
natural beauty. However, the country located between
Panama and Nicaragua has much more to offer than
just a stunning coastline. Despite its relatively small
size, which with 51,000 square kilometres is comparable
to the size of Switzerland, Costa Rica is considered
one of the most diverse countries in the world, and is
particularly exciting for all nature and adventure lovers.
A third of the country’s surface is protected and
large areas of the land have been declared national
parks, many of which have not yet been explored.
Visitors to Costa Rica’s many national parks will have
the opportunity to discover a unique flora and fauna
consisting of exotic wildlife such as birds, monkeys,
crocodiles, turtles, tapirs and jaguars. You can also
take part in a day or night trip to one of Costa Rica’s 72
volcanoes, ride across the Valle Central on a mountain
bike, explore the many waterfalls whilst rafting, or
take advantage of the ideal conditions for surfing and
diving on the 1500 kilometre long Caribbean and Pacific
Costa Rica is a breathtakingly beautiful tropical country
that attracts visitors all year round. Here you can
experience ’La Pura Vida’, as the locals like to call it.
The high season is during the dry season which runs
from December to April, but Costa Rica is definitely
also worth a visit during the ’Green Season’, because at
an average temperature of 22 °C/75 °F, you can‘t really
speak of bad weather, can you?
The locals - also known as „Ticos“ - have a reputation
of being very friendly, relaxed and welcoming people
with whom you can easily practise your newly acquired
Spanish skills! They are very helpful and will always
help you out with any questions or problems you might
experience. Also ask them for their advice on the best
places to go out, have a cocktail or go on a weekend
trip! Costa Ricans also tend to pronounce quite clearly,
making them easy to understand especially for beginner
students.
Costa Rica is one of the most progressive countries in
Latin America, and has been free of political unrests
since the 1940s. It possesses a democratic government
and is one of four countries in the world that do not
maintain any armed forces.
 Playa del
Carmen
Accommodation
Shared Apartment
Many students live in our spacious shared apartments
near the school. These comfortably furnished
apartments each have two or more bedrooms, a living
room with TV and an adjacent kitchen, and one or
more bathrooms. The kitchen is fully equipped. The
apartments are cleaned and the bedding is changed
once per week, but we kindly ask that you bring your
own towels.
All apartments are within walking distance (about 10-15
minutes) of the school. You can also get to the school by
using public transport; this only takes about 5 minutes.
You may book a single room, double room or a room
with several beds, whereby there is a limit of a maximum
of four beds per room. You can book a double room or a
multi-bed shared room even if you are traveling alone.
In this case you would be sharing a room with other
students from the language school. This is a great way
to get to know your fellow students from all over the
world.
30
Host family
Another popular choice among our students is living
with a host family. Students who choose this option live
in carefully selected host families which are situated
within 5 to 20 minutes on foot from the language school
and the beach. Host families offer furnished single
and double rooms with breakfast or half board. Please
note the double rooms are only for students traveling
together.
If you are coming with a friend or partner, you are
welcome to stay together in the same host family.
Should you have any dietary requirements (e.g.
vegetarian, allergies, etc.), please state those on your
enrolment form, so that the family can prepare for your
needs as best as possible.
Hotel
We can also arrange for you to stay in a hotel in Playa
del Carmen. There is a range of hotels in different price
categories. Most of the hotels are close to the beach
and offer single or double rooms with the additional
option of air-conditioning.
 Teen Program
San José
Teen Program
Don’t fancy boring holidays? Then pack your bags!
Exciting culture and plenty of sunshine awaits you in
Santo Domingo de Heredia! If you want to discover
a new and exciting way of enjoying a holiday while
learning Spanish, then we have just the thing for you:
our summer language course for teens in Costa Rica.
You will explore the national parks in Santo Domingo de
Heredia and discover the beautiful coast of Costa Rica
together with other language students from all over the
world. Our extensive activities program will ensure that
you can enjoy a new adventure in Santo Domingo de
Heredia every day. We will make sure that by the end of
your holiday you won’t even want to go back home!!!
Lessons will take place in small groups of up to five
students. All students are between the ages of 14 and
17. The course consists of 20 lessons per week and takes
place in the afternoons. Classes are taught by native
Spanish speaking teachers whose teaching methods
are fun and modern. You can also ask for your lessons to
be moved outside into our exotic school garden!
32
Summer Courses
During the course you will live with a friendly Costa Rican
host family that will take good care of you. Your family
will give you breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Most
families also have children of their own with whom you
will be able to speak Spanish on a daily basis.
All families live within 15 to 20 minutes walking distance
from the language school, so it will be easy for you to
walk to school. It is very important to us that you are
happy living with your host family, because only then
will you learn Spanish quickly. We will do our best to
make you feel comfortable socialising with your new
friends, discovering Costa Rica and simply making you
feel at home. However, should you feel unhappy at any
point, we will do everything we can to find a solution
together to ensure that you have the perfect holiday!
We are also happy to accommodate any special requests
that you may have. Do you have any allergies, or are
you vegetarian? Simply state any special requests on
your enrolment form and we will find you a suitable host
family.